The Dickinson press., 1887-12-17
WHY DO PEOPLE DROWN?
A Well Known English Swimmer

A Well Known English Swimmer En
plains the Science of Floating.
81 suppose" | remarked to Mr.. johnson,
the well known swimmer, "that such Il corl;
as yourself cannot quite understand how a
person sinks" "Oh, yes, but l can. 1t is only
such as myself, who study the science of
floating, that can understand the mystery of
sinking. A swimmer becomes n swimmer by
endeavoring to find out, not SO much how to
swim, as how not to sink. Man or woman
can foat-there is no exception. The big
secret is knowing how, and being self pos
sessed enough-that is, in cases of emergency
tic take advantage of ones knowledge. But
directly the boat capsizes, or the canal bank
subsidies, or the sands Shift, or the deep part
of the river uncomfortably asserts itself, the
ignorant mortal Ignorant of how to use his
powers of buoyancy) sets about to sink HIM
self"
"sinks himself, Mr.. Johnson?" l observed,
obviously. "Yes, sinks himself. Up so his
hands, md down he sinks like a tlagstone.
OF the ten thousand and one frenzied actions
in which a drowning man INDUCES not one is
there that lends a little of b%uoyancy. In the
first place, he clutches at the proverbial
straw, and there is no surer way of sink ing
ones self than by thrusting the hands out of
"olci. LII CONSEQUENCE ulCu VI liz pouJ
strikes fatal terror in the mans heart, he
struggles spasmodically, and then, bereft as
he is of all consciousness, vanishes to his
doom. Take, rs all instance, the yachting
accident off Ilfracombe the other day. A
jovial party set sail in q crazy fishing smack,
and an extra capful Of wind upset her. ILL.,
stantly there was chaos and confusion, as is
always the case, and fourteen luckless souls
drowned themselves. 1t is simply suicidal
for q non-swimmer to risk his life in an I'M
certain craft"
Suppose, then, Mr.. johnson, that you and
/ are cruising. The boat has capsiZed; we
are i'll the water. What am I, anon-swimmer,
to do" ''1f there is anything floating catch
at it steadily. The least particle will support
you. This beading (which was no more thar
an inch SQUARED would keep your head above
water. But if there is nothing at all within
reach this is what you should do" At thi
Juncture Mr.. johnson sprang to his feet
Throwing back his head, and placing bott
hands i'll the small of his back, his form as
sumed a slanting position. $50 long as vol
remained as l am now, so long would yor
fioat.n
"Then it is not necessary for the require
ments of floating that ones toes should b.
level with his noseg' mo in the least. Tht
mode of floating in a moment Of emergency
is as have just illustrated-or. at least, IN,
experience tells me that it is the safes
and the easiest. 1t would be an inconsider
able matter for people to familiarize then,
selves with the principles of floating, and
simple acquaintance with the subject nigh
prove to be of life long service. To he of an.
real service, swimming must be studied t
perfection. A man or woman is termed
good swimmer land the man or woman come
to think SO too who can manage, say, a scol
lengths of u bath twenty yards long. He,
the water is tepid and smooth. but it is diffe
ent at sea. How many yards would tn
same swimmer traverse in troublous water
But the chances are that he could float t
rescued, which is always the end soug
after.n-Pall Mall Gazette.